For in the Day of Trouble
How the Lord delivered me from severe depression and my own hypocrisy.
If the Jesus Christ of the Word of God (the Bible) has never revolutionized your life, made you feel like you’ve just come to life… made you feel like a new creation who just had a spiritual bath and were clean and pure and as new as a newborn baby…
If you’ve never been utmostly and completely assured the Word of God in the Bible and in the Bible only is true, and God made you in His image and for His purpose unto the core of your being, or changed you in ways you never could have or would have… then whether you know what it’s like to be really broken, I invite you to read on! New beginnings and healing the hurting are the good Lord’s specialty!!
The Me Inside
Here are my qualifications, all while evangelizing: Can’t get out of bed depression? Check. Suicide attempt? Check. Time in a mental ward? Check. Panic attacks? Check. Lust? Check! Attempted murder out of a fit of rage? Check. But worst, and the very worst of the worst, was my own blindness that since I was already a believer, that it was only OTHER people who needed the Lord! If that was you I have offended, or even others like me, my humble apologies!
Until I learned how to REALLY knit into Jesus… how to cling to Him and figure out what this thing called faith was, I was being very, very overcome. I am ever so thankful that despite how very, very hard those lessons and those faith tests were, now, I am SO glad they got my attention to dig deeper toward God! I am a different person today! And I can honestly say that pain was all worth it!
If you are contemplating suicide today, there’s a special chapter for you. You see, I am sorry to say that was after committing my life unto Christ. How thankful I am that the Lord has been patient and kind, and given me more time. If you’ve lost someone that way, I am so sorry! Sometimes I think it just comes down to our choice to trust God or go crazy!
What I had to learn was that God was as trustable to get me to heaven someday, as He was to also help me while on my way there. I spent a lot of time thinking that just because I was saved, that it was only everyone else who needed the Lord. And I wasn’t shy to tell you about it! But He could see there was something wrong when I stood in last pew of church singing hymns about the love of God, while at the sa me time trying to figure out how to take my own life.
These lessons have inspired me to write the following poem which stems not only from a children’s story that you might recognize, but a warning to those who call Christ their Savior but have gotten off track like I did, in Revelation 3:17, “Because you say, “I am rich, and have prospered and grown wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked [without hope and in great need]”.
Never Looked Fairer
Almost 200 years ago, the evangelist, J.C. Ryle, wrote, “You live in a world where your soul is in constant danger. Enemies are round you on every side. Your own heart is deceitful. Bad examples are numerous. Satan is always labouring to lead you astray. Above all false doctrine and false teachers of every kind abound. This is your great danger. I shall not be surprised to hear that you are troubled with doubts and questions about assurance, grace, faith, perseverance, etc. The devil is an old and cunning enemy. He can quote Scripture readily enough when he pleases. Now you are not sufficiently ready with your weapons to fight a good fight with him…. Your sword is held loosely in your hand.”
Do you know what the Bible says is the sword, that this author is referring to? The sword is one of the weapons of our spiritual warfare listed in Ephesians chapter 6… the very Word of God. Have you ever felt like you’ve needed some sort of spiritual self-defense lessons in life?
“For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)”, 2nd Cor. 2:4,5
Which Thoughts to Take Captive
Maybe you’ve never read the Bible for yourself, or even come from a different religion, but just might be willing at least to listen. Maybe you’ve tried to read the Bible and it put you to sleep. Been there, done that. Or maybe you’re even one of those who has been motivated by something like some sort of sense of religious duty or even guilt to even go to church (at least once or twice, or if you’re really bad off, even every time the doors open! Ha ha ha). Maybe you even also give of your money! Or even try to be good through the week as well because you think that’s what God wants from you! If those actions are rooted in a motive of trying to be good enough to get to heaven, then bore, bore, bore, bore, bore!!!! It can’t be done! Jesus is the only one who could pay the price for that.
Maybe you’ve become convinced you are too much of a sinner for God to forgive you. I hope you keep reading if so. I heard about a man about to be hung for murder, who was told that even then, the Lord would be willing to forgive him. His reply was that if he believed that, he’d crawl over broken glass for miles, just to tell others about it. What kind of price tag would you put on being able to go to heaven forever?
Here’s just one of countless insights that confirm Scripture, this one being from the late Dr. Chuck Missler, in his book, Hidden Treasures, or you can see it on YouTube.
Like most words, names can have definitions. The list of the genealogy from Adam (the first man), down to Noah, (as in Noah and the Ark) contains 10 names. When the names are listed in a row and the definitions of each name are written out in order, this creates the following sentence:
“Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow, but the blessed God shall come down, teaching that His death shall bring the despairing comfort and rest.”
Mortal sorrow, mortal sorrow. Why yes, that’s a good way to put all the pain I have felt!!
Get it While it Lasts
My Hope, My Hope
